Sliding-door latch.



G. W. MERRITT.

SLIDZNG DOOR. LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULYa, 1913.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

In, ii

Inventor Witnesses Attiorn eys sunrise-noon LATCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Mnanrrr, a citizen. of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Sliding-Door Latch, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains generally to door latches, and relates more articularly to a latch applicable to the sli ing doors of common carriers,.-dwellings, and the like.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved latch for sliding doors, which is so constructed and operable as to automatically engage the keeper or lock strike when the door is closed, means being provided for manually releasing the latch when the door is to he slid open.

Another object of the invention is to'provide novel means for projecting the latch when the door is closed, and for retracting the latch when the door is opened, and when the latch is released from the keeper or look strike.

A further object of the present invention is to provide novel means for manually releasing or liberating the latch from the keeper or look strike.

With the foregoing general objects outlined and with other objects in view, which will be apparent as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, wherein I a Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device as applied. Fig. 2 is a 'fro'nt View of the improved device with the face plate removed, and parts being broken away:

In carrying out the invention, reference being had in detail to the drawings, there Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 1913.

Patented Get. 1%, 1913. Serial No. 777,928.

is provided a suitable case 1 embodying the side plates 2, one of which is removable, the back 3, the top or upper end 4, the lower end 5, and the removable face plate 6. The case 1 may be of suchproportion as to be mortised into the-edge of the door A, or when this is not convenient, the case may be secured to the side of the door, the particular application of the ease to the door being of no moment.

Within the case 1 is fulcrumed a lever 7, by means of the fulcrum screw 8, the lever 7 standing approximately in an upright or vertical position with its fulcrum point oining the face plate 6 at a point slightly below the upper end or top of the case. The upper arm 9 of the lever is provided with an angular projection or finger 1O adjoining its free end and passing outwardly through an opening 11 rovided in the face plate 6, in order that t e finger 10 may engage a second door, door jamb, or other object toward which the door A. moves when slid to closed position. A coiled wire compression spring 12 is disposed between the u per arm 9 of the lever 7 and the-back 3 o the case, so as to nor-' mally project the finger 10, and to normally swing the lower arm 13. of the lever in wardly or rearwardly.

The latch 14 is pivoted to the extremity of the arm 13, by means of a pivot pin 15, the extremity of the arm 13 being provided with a shoulder or ledge 16 upon which the latch 14 is normally adapted to seat, to limit the downward movement of the latch, and to hold the latch in proper position to engage the keeper or striking plate. The outer or free end of the latch 14 is beveled, as at 17, and in rear of the bevel 17, the latch is provided with the inwardly or rearwardly facing shoulder 18. A coiled wire compression spring 19 is disposed between the back or upper edge of the latch 14 and a shoulder 20 formed on the arm 13 above the latch. The spring 19 normally throws the latch downwardly, so as to seat on the shoulder 16. The face plate 6 is provided with an opening 21 throu h which the latch 14 is pro ectable, when t e finger 10 is forced inwardly, as above intimated.

' Normally, however, the latch 14 is rct a within the case so as to be completely housed therein.

The second door, door jamb, or other 7 object B toward which the door A moves when slid to closed position, is provided with any suitable keeper or look strike 22 with which the latch 14 is adapted to engage, the keeper being provided with an opening complementing the opening 21 of the base plate. When. the finger 1O strikes the object B, the latch 14, in being projected, will pass through the keeper, so as to snap into engagement therewith. It is to be noted that when the latch projected, the bevel 17 will engage the keeper, so as to raise the latch against the tension of the ring 19, whereby the shoulder 18 is adapted to snap back of the keeper to lock the door A. closed.

The means for manually releasing the latch 14- embodies a spindle 23 of angular cross section journaled through the sides of the case adjoining the lower end of the case, suitable handles 2% being attached to the ex tremities of the spindle for facilitating the manual oscillation of the spindle. The handies 21 also facilitate moving the door to closed and open positions, as will be understood. A barrel or rocker 25 is mounted non-rotatably on the spindle 23 within the case, and is provided with an outwardly or forwardly extending arm 26. The barrel or rocker is also provided with the rearwardly facing shoulder 27 adj oining its top, the said shoulder being adapted to strike a cross pin 27" carried by the sides of the ease adjoining the back, in order to limit thenpward swinging movement of the arm 26. A. retractile spring 28 is terminallyconnet-ted to the bottom or lower edge of the a A. and to the lower end of the case, in order to normally depress the arm 26, a cross pin 29 being terminally engaged to the sides of the case adjoining the face plate in order to limit the downward movement of the arm 26. A trip 30 is pivoted to the free end of the arm26, by means of a pivot pin t 3 tip or free end of the trip 'being at the lower end of the opening 2:3, oelow the free end of the latch 14. a. coiled wirecompression spring 32' is disposed between the barrel 25 and'the inter- "ate portion of the trip 30. so as to press tip of the trip against the face plate. tree portion of: the trip is adapted to along the inner side of the face plate, .ree portion of the arm 26 and the lower end of the trip being adapted to rest on the pin 29 under normal conditions.

Ordinarily, when the door is in open position, the latch will be retracted, the linger 10 being projected, and the trip 30 will be depressed, together with. the arm 26, by means of the spring 28. When the door is l LL.

The

slid to closed position, the finger 10 in striking the second door, door j amb, or other 0bj ect will project the latch through the keeper or look strike, the latch engaging the keeper so as to lock the door closed. The latch may be readily released from the keeper, when the door is to be opened, by properly turning one or the other of the handles 24, and consequently rocking the spindle 23, sons to raise the arm 26, which will in turn force the trip 30 upwardly against the latch 14. This has the effect of raising the latch out of locking engagement with the keeper, ano then by sliding the door toward open position, the latch 14 will be retracted from the keeper, it being noted that as soon as the trip 30 releases the latch, the spring 12 will come into play, so as to retract the latch within the case. When the latch is retracted under the tension of the-spring 12, the free end of the trip 30 will be swung inwardly with the shoulder 18 of the latch, and when the latch is returned to normal position, the tip of the trip will slip out of engagement with the shoulder 18, and as a consequence, the spring 32 will return the trip to normal position against the face plate.

From the foregoing. the operation and advantages, as well as the capabilities, of the present invention will be apparent to those versed in the art, it being noted that the sliding door is adapted to lock into engagement automatically with the second door, door jamb, or object toward which it moves, and that novel manually controlled means is provided for unlatching the door for simultaneously sliding it open.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, a case, a movable member therein adapted to be actuated when the case approaches an object, a latch pi oted to the said member and being projected thereby, a'manually opcrable member within the ease, and a trip connected with the last mentioned member and cooperating with the latch to release the same when in projected position.

In a device of the character described, a case, including a face plate, a movable member mounted within the case and adapted to be actuated when the face plate approaches an object, a latch pivoted to the said member and projeetable through the face plate when the said member is actuated, a manually operable member disposed within the ease, and a spring pressed trip carried by the last mentioned member and working along the face plate to coiiperate with the latch.

3. In a device of the character described, a case, a movable member disposed therein and adapted to be actuated when the case approaches an, object, the case including a face plate, a pivoted latch carried by the with its free portion wnrking mmsa? In. tesfimony that I claim the foreg ing as my Own, Ii have hereto afimed my slgnature 1n the presence of two wlinesses.

GEORGE W MERRZTT.

said member projecmbl a thy-magi; face plate when the said member actuated, a manually opmnl'fe 1'11 er (I gosed Within the case and having an arm 1, I Ward the phzfe, and #2 5px pressed a Witncsses 2 Esqrmm HASTINGS, KEITH CARTER.

trip pivoted ihe flies and 0' said arm r 3011;; *Lhe face plate to coiiperaie W1 an the 

